The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-04-28
IN THE SLUMS.
A Day Spent There by a City
"Child."

Early one September morning a stray ray
Of the sun slipped around the corner Of a
big warehouse, and stealing over bit of
musty rug that had been thrust into one OF
the upper windows OF a Cherry street tene-
ment house, fell hotly on the face OF man
who was sleeping within the room. 1t twas
n brutal face. The sunlight crept with the
hardness of repugnance over the puffy, dis
colored cheeks, the sunken eyes, stubble-
bearded jaw and half open mouth, with its
protruding tusks. The man was partially
dressed, and his ard-featured wife, who
lay by his side on the straw pallet, had dis
carded nothing but her shawl when she re-
tired the night before. In another corner
two girls slumbered peacefully and three
children lay sprawling on some old clothes
near the stove. In the middle of the mean
and squalid room lay can with the stains
of beer on the floor near it. Flies buzzed
about The air was sitting.
The sun burned in the purple hollows Of
the mans eyes until he moved uneasily, and
then. suddenly waking, sat up and glared
sayagely around. His eyes fell on the
crippled form of wan-faced boy sleepin g
beside the stove, and Selling one Of his
hobnailed boots he sent il whizZing across
the room. II struck the child. With a
sharp cry he struggled to his knees and
PECAN hastily to strap on an artificial leg,
sending up string of shrill-voiced curses
tho while. Then he stopped swearing
abruptly and began TO whimper as he asked /:
..Wha' d'y' wan fadder,n
9TH marnin' loaf, Y twisted brat. Quick (!
Git out of here,n
The boy half Strengthened his curved
back, grabbed his clothes in his skinny
little hands, and stumbled and hoped out
of the ROOM In the passage below he
washed his face in the moldy sink, brushed
pack his long black hair with his grimy
hands, clothed his crooked form and
presently went limping of toward neigh
boring bakers shop with the corners of his
mouth drawn down.
.-Shure, Corkey,m said the bakers wife,
slipping tart into the hand of the crippled
ten-year-old along with the loaf Of bread,
'.yers whites flour sieve this mornin','
,It's me leg, Mrs. Murphy said the lad,
deity stealing another tart as the woman
turned away at alters hurts me whin |
put it on first"
He went limping back, clasping his Grip
pied leg with his hand but smiling craftily
over his shoulder at the bakers shop as he
munched the stolen tart.
He was New York boy, born in the
trcss, with pitiful physique and invalid s
fnce and the shrewd, sportive and mocking
nature OF a hundred thousand of his fel
low-childrcn of the gutter. Even at that
casly hour there were many of his play
mates about. One of them was sitting or
coal box, looking up toward the eighth
story OF gloomy looking tenement ocros.
the way, whore candle still ickesed il
one OF the windows.
.Git onto de light UP In Wilder GroEan'i
room, Corkey,p said the lad on the coal DO,
with delighted grin.
'sWhat's il furi'
eur Mrs. Grogan's daughter Mol. wha
whit of wild the pick-i-nic of de- soc 'sshui
OF Perfect Gents OF de Forth ward yester
day mornin' an amt got back yit De oil
woman's bin waitin' all night fur her. Sh
thinks Moll's drownded.n
Tho sharp face Of the cripple nehtsd "
and iimpinE hurriediy Into the middle q
ths ssfest he screamed with such shsilipss